Lever press



March 6, 1945.

R. G. LE TOURNEAU LEVER PRS S 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 6, 1943 R.G.Le7 burneau R. G. LE 'TOURNEAU 2,370,739

LEVER PRESS Filed May' 6, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet V Marh6, I945.

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19.6. Le Tourn au 7 m I m m m IIIIIIIIIH 3 Sheets-Sheec 3 LEVER PRESS R.G. LE TOURNEAU Filed May 6, 1945 March 6, 1945.

*moving side.

unduly far apart, said guide units are set in difierent horizontalplanes relative to each other, as shown in Fig. 3.

Each ram ls arranged at its lower end for detachable connection with asuitable punch, such as indicated at 19, adapted to cooperate with awork holding die 2B mounted on a holder 2l of suitable constructionseated on the bed 1 of a depending opening 22 in the bed alined with therespective ram. In the present instance onlythe ram [2 is shown as beingutilized in a forging operation.

The walking beam 6 extends some distance beyond the end of the pressstructure furthest from the links 1 and at the same.end is connected toa power mechanism to pull the corresponding portion of the walking bea1nclown about the upper pivot P of the links 1 as an axis, andconsequently lower the rams. This mechanism comprises a two-drum powerwinch unit mounted in the pit 4 directly below said end of the walkingbeam and whose drums 24 are connected by gearing 25 (see Fig. 2) so thatboth drums will totate in the same direction. A continuons cable 26,secured at its ends on the drums, extends upwardly from the leading ordownwardly moving side of one drum to and about a pulley 27 on thewalking beam, down to and about a pulley 28 fixed with the winch, backup to another poney.

29 on the walking beam parallel to and adjacent the pulley 21, and thento and about a pulley 30 mounted parallel to and adjacent the pulley 28.From this pulley the cable extends'upwardly to and over equalizingpulleys 31 mounted in a transversely extending houslng 32 swung from theWalking beam, and then about and between other sets of pulleys 33 and 34which correspond to pulleys 28-30 and 2l29, and thence to the other drum24 on its leading or downwardly By reason of this drums being thusdriven and rotating at the same speed, an equal pulling action on thecable is had at bath drums and a great leverage on the walking beam isobtained; any discrepaney in the pull being compensated for at theequalizing pulleys 31.

In order to retract the ralms alter a power or working stroke, the andof the walking beam opposite that to which the cable is connected isformed with a relatively large receptacle 35 in which the counterweightmatrial such' as concrete, sand, water or the like may be placed. Inthis manne! when the power is releasedfrom the drums this weight acts tounwind the cable from the drums and reverse the position of the walkingbeam to raise the rams.

Either ram alone may be used, depending on the type of work being donc,but as stated in the preamble the provision of short and long strokerams in a single press gives the advantage of two separate presses ofordinary character.

By reason of the specific mounting of the link pins 9 and I! and the oilsumps in which these pins are disposed, frequent lubrication of theserelatively inaccessible pins is unnecessary, as a supply of oil tolastfor considerable time may be poured into the sumps from the top. Thevarious pivot pins in the walking beam, however, may be lubricated inthe ordinary manner by means of grease fittings applied to one end ofthe pins,

arrangement and with both since such pins are always exposed andaccessible.

The two-drum and double cable line 15 used for the following reasons:(l) an equalized cable pull is exerted on the walking beam so that oneside thereof is not subjected to a greater strain than the other. (2)The need of a large cable, with its rednced flexibility and greaterinitial and maintenance cost is avoided. (3) Relatively small winch-drumgears may be used which are within the capacity of regular commercialgear cutting machines to produce, and (4) there is less bearing load onthe pinion bearings of the winch unit, since the tooth thrust isequalized by the bull gears on opposite sides of the pinions.

. From the foregoing description it Willbe readily Seen that I haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letteis Patent is:

l. A press comprising a work supporting bed, a frame structure above andrigid with the bed, a lever on top of and extending lengthwise of thestructure for movement in a vertical plane, a vertical ram slidablmounted in the structure for movement toward and from the bed andpivotally connected to the lever immediate its ends, a substantiallyvertical link oonnecting the structure and lever at a point on thelatter spaced from the point of pivot connection of the ram therewith,another vertical ram slidably mounted in the structure beyond the firstnamed ram with respect to the lever pivot, a substantially vertical linkextending between and pivotally connecting the lever and said other ram,and power means engaging the lever adjacent one end to swing the same ina direction to lower the rams.

2. A press comprislng a work supporting bed, a frame structure above andrigid with the bed, a lever on top of and extending lengthwise of thestructure for movement in a vertical plane, and projecting beyond oneend of the structure, pivot means connecting the lever and structure, avertical ram slidably mounted in the structure for vertical movement andconnected to the lever at a point between the pivot thereof and theprojecting end of the lever, and a power mechanism to pull said end ofthe lever clown; said mechanism comprising a winch unit below the leverat said end and having a pair of driven cable drums spaced horizontallyin a direction transversely of the lever, a pair of transversely spacedpulleys on the lever, a pair of transverscly spaced pulleys on the winchunit, another intermediate pulley on the lever and a cable extendingfrom the leading side of one drum to and between one of each of thefirst and second named pairs of pulleys, then about the intermediatepulley, thence to and about the other pulleys of the second and firstnamed pairs of pulleys and thence to the leading side of the other winchdrum.

;3. A press comprising a work supporting bed, a frame structure aboveand rigid with the bed, a lever on top of and extending lengthwise ofthe structure for movement in a verticalplane, and

projecting beyond one end of the structure, pivot means connecting thelever and structure, a vertical ram slidably mounted in the structurefor vertical movement and connected to the lever at a point bettveen thepivot thereof and the projecting end of the lever, and a power mechanlsmto pull said end of the lever down; said mechansm comprislng a winchunit below the lever at said and and having a pair of drlven pensate forany difierence in the cable drive at 10 the drums.

4. A press comprislng a work supportlng bed, a

trame structure above and rigld with' the bed,

a vertical ram slidable in the structure. a lever above the structureand mm. a. link pivota1ly connecting the ram and the lever at a pointin- .termediate the ends of the latter, a link pivotally connecting thestructure and lever at a point on the latter spaced lengthwise from thepoint of pivotal connection of the first named link therewith, anotherram slidable in the structure parallel to the first named ram anddirectly pivoted on the lever between the points et connection of thelinks therewith; and means to' swing the lever in a direction to lowerthe rams.

ROBERT G. LE TOURNEAU.

